


coffee at the airport

by 4seasonies



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 13:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16220333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4seasonies/pseuds/4seasonies
Summary: Where Doyoung, who was nervous about flying met Taeyong, who offered him a cup of coffee.





	coffee at the airport

**Author's Note:**

  * For [writethedust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writethedust/gifts).



> belated happy birthday, [ain](https://twitter.com/icelemonteas)! idk if you'd like this or not but i tried. i'm not exactly one hundred percent satisfied with this but i wanted to a) get this story out of my drafts and b) give you something small. 
> 
> i hope you enjoy this!

Doyoung couldn't stay still. In an hour and forty-five minutes, he'd be boarding the plane. He was half wishing that the flight would be delayed, or that it would be canceled altogether, but Doyoung knew that wouldn't be possible. Doyoung chose that day to make sure that his flight would go through after all: no black holes, no predicted time warp dysfunction, no storms, no refunds, and absolutely no repetitive trips towards the airport more than necessary.

Just when he thought he would not stop shaking, a hand tapped his shoulder and he almost squeaked in surprise. When he turned around, he saw a gorgeous man with a fiery red hair approached him with a cup of black coffee.

“Here you go.” He offered the cup to him.

“I'd probably just get more nervous.” He refused, but his stare isn’t moving away from the man whose beauty is striking. Doyoung isn’t sure if he’s real or conjured up by his hallucinations but then the man spoke and he’s now sure he’s real.

“But this is caramel latte, sir. It’s not your regular espresso.” Doyoung noticed the deep timbre of his voice and thinks that it’s lovely.

“The sugar in that cup might make me more hyper and jittery so I don’t think it would help.” 

Doyoung sounded dismissive and he wanted to correct his tone, but the man who offered his sweet concoction didn’t seem offended by it but rather looked at him like he believed some kind of bogus myth, shrugged, and then proceeded to drink from the said cup.

“Let's sit down, sir.” He directed and Doyoung did, hoping that talking to someone would calm him down.

“Is it your first time flying, sir?”

“No,” Doyoung replies, “but I never got used to it.”

“Fear of flying?”

“Of heights, in general.”

“I see. It's actually my first time flying.” He said nonchalantly.

“Aren't you nervous?” Doyoung asked.

“Very. It's the first time that I'm given this much responsibility, after all.”

“You'll be a fine flight attendant…if only you would stop offering coffee to nervous passengers.”

“You're funny!” He laughed and Doyoung couldn’t deny to himself that it’s one of the most beautiful sounds he’s ever heard. “No one ever said that I'm a flight attendant in this uniform.”

“You're not?” Doyoung asked incredulously and went pale when he recognized the prestigious uniform.

“You're a pilot?”

“Correct!” He smiled brightly.

Doyoung immediately apologized which he brushed off.

They talked for a while, bonding over their similarities like their need and want for cleanliness and order, and their lack of enthusiasm for working out. As the time goes on he learned about the other man’s love for animals, his lack of favorite color and how he takes his stress out by coloring his hair. He chose red for his first day, however, so that passengers and co-workers alike could easily spot him when needed.

Doyoung noted how beautiful his smile is throughout their talk.

The man shortly kept quiet as he was drinking the last drops of his caramel latte.

“What's the matter?” He kept quiet as he was asked, his nerves resurfaced as he learned that his pilot, no matter how beautiful, would fly his first airplane with passengers.

“You're riding with me, aren't you?” The pilot continued and then he slowly nodded, feeling awful for being scared when he'd been a nice person to him from the beginning.

“Don't worry, now I have one more reason not to crash the plane.” And then he saluted at him before he walked off.

For the first time in years, Doyoung didn't think of his fear of heights on the flight.

 

~

 

“Coffee beans?” He raised the said pack, far tattered than he remembered it being, with a question. “And caramel?”

“As a token of my appreciation for offering me a latte, for keeping me company before, and for bringing me alive towards my destination,” Doyoung stated and took his time to look at the man in front of him who’s now sporting a honey brown shade. “It's also my way of saying sorry for doubting your skills.”

“But you didn't drink it.” The man pouted and Doyoung couldn’t deny that he found it cute.

“Yes, but I thought you like coffees in general so when I saw coffee beans back in the 1920s, I immediately bought it.” Doyoung narrated like he rehearsed a million times in his head. “I can’t guarantee the taste of caramel but I personally love that specific brand of coffee and thought you could enjoy it too.”

“Thanks!” He beamed.

And then Doyoung faced the most awkward (in his part, at least), pregnant silence in his entire life. He just wasn't suited for romance even if he considered himself a romantic.

“So...” Doyoung started.

“Could I still drink this or is it just for display?”

Doyoung made a questioning face until he pointed to the expiration date - which was dated decades ago.

“I'm so sorry!” Doyoung turned red and bowed as he apologized.

“You don't need to apologize!” He replied as he tried to stifle his laugh but failing.

Doyoung never felt so stupid. Of course, he couldn't take any food from the 1920s and still believe that it would still be safe for consumption when he came back.

When he finally came down from his high, he spoke. “You really didn't need to get me anything. I'm just happy that someone gave me a gift.”

“No, this is embarrassing so I insist on getting you another one!”

“Okay.” He replied smiling. “But if you're going to get me something, I think it would be wise to avoid perishable goods.”

When it was time for his next flight and he was leaving, Doyoung told him to wait.

“Could you tell me your name?”

“I don't know your name, sir”

“Kim Doyoung. And please don't call me sir, we’re probably the same age. May I know your name in return?”

“I'll tell you when I liked my gift next time.”

 

-

 

“Are you sure about this?” Doyoung asked as he looked at the shop. “You do know that this is not a coffee cup, right?”

“Of course I do know that.” Johnny, his co-researcher-slash-friend countered. He time traveled to the same era by Doyoung’s request and judging by the looks of interest that he held towards Jaehyun, his benefactor of this age, he isn’t really regretting not traveling to his usual decade.

“I've researched this place a lot and it got rave reviews. That cup you're holding will approximately price up to fifteen times it's original. You're going to find something good for your recipient.” Johnny stated.

Doyoung's eyes got wide at that and almost dropped the said teacup before he carefully placed it back where Johnny got it.

Doyoung started looking for the perfect glassware, but everything he saw didn't fit his image of the man he found fascinating. Too old, elegant, too flashy, and too much everything incorporated in a single cup.

Nothing screamed like the man who Doyoung found so interesting and attractive.

That was until he saw the one that is displayed in a box located at the corner. It's a simple white teacup with rainbow swirls carefully hand-painted on it. It's quite modern compared to the other glasses displayed, but for a man in charge of a time traveling plane, Doyoung thought that it was perfect.

“Johnny, come and take a look at this,” Doyoung said and Johnny promptly did. “What do you think?”

Johnny said fondly. “I think it's perfect.”

 

-

 

“Here.” Doyoung handed the box over.

“What's this?” The pilot, now sporting a god-forbidden mullet asked. _How is it that he could make everything look good on him?_

“Could I open it?”

“Please.”

And then Doyoung waited until he completely unwrapped the present.

He gasped, and then said: “Is this a teacup?”

“Yes, it is. I originally wanted to buy a coffee cup but then someone advised me to try the place where that was displayed. I looked at quite a lot of teacups until I found—”

“It's lovely. B-but I can't accept this.”

“Why?” He asked. “You didn't like it? It doesn't have to be a teacup! A few generations behind us already used teacups for vodkas and tequilas, so you could definitely use that for coffee too!”

“I...do like it, Kim-sshi. But it's too expensive, I can't accept something like this.”

“It's for you. Please, take it if you really like the item. I'd just forget about that piece and then break that one way or another if I keep it for one more day.”

He closed his eyes in contemplation before he finally accepted. “Thank you. I'd have to give you something back for this, don't I?” He stared at him when he asked.

“Your name would more than suffice,” Doyoung said.

“That's all you really want for this?”

He nodded.

“I'm Lee Taeyong.”

 

-

 

“Why are you pouting?” Doyoung asked as he found the other man pouting his own kryptonite (his hair color is now green so it’s fitting) and was starting to find out the hard way that he didn’t like it on the other’s face for too long even if it’s cute.

“I still don’t know what to give you in exchange for that expensive teacup.” Taeyong sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful. But it’s just too much and I’m at the end of my wits. My roommate told me to just ask you directly what you’ll want in exchange aside from my name—why are you staring at me like that?”

“Nothing.” Doyoung smiled to himself.

“That smile doesn’t mean nothing. Say it, Kim Doyoung-sshi.”

“I just find that you talk a lot too, maybe even more than me,” Doyoung said which made Taeyong cover his face. “I like it.”

“You just like embarrassing me.”

“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”

“That’s not the right way to treat a _hyung_!” Taeyong complained and pouted more.

_Definitely cute._

“Then maybe you could drop the formalities because no _hyung_ will talk to his own _dongsaeng_ like you do.

“Okay. Doyoung-sshi?”

“Try harder.”

“Doyoungie?”

“Much better.” Doyoung beamed, his heart rate tripling the moment his name shaped around Taeyong’s wonderful voice.

“Doyoungie,” Taeyong started. “what can _hyung_ do for you so he doesn’t feel guilty receiving your souvenir?”

Doyoung thought of different things for Taeyong not to feel bad about it. A cheaper souvenir for the sake of it, a pilot privilege experience like a chance to view the inside of a time-traveling cockpit, a sweet kiss—

Doyoung didn’t entertain the last dangerous thought any further and settled for something, he hoped, was achievable.

“Can I have some of your time?”

“How long?”

“A day if possible.”

Doyoung couldn’t risk looking at Taeyong as he tinkered on his suitcase, wishing that Taeyong wouldn’t suspend it further and just tell him if he could or not.

“Okay,” Taeyong replied.

“Okay?” Doyoung finally looked up and saw Taeyong’s phone screen lighting up with his calendar.

“Is next week okay?” Doyoung absentmindedly nodded. He could always reschedule everything if there’s a schedule on that day.

“Here, I added it” and true to his word, Doyoung’s name is written on that day.

Only his name is with a heart and he couldn’t stop hoping.

~

Doyoung let Taeyong take him around his favorite places - the animal shelter that took good care of kittens, the sweets eat-all-you-can cafe where Taeyong devoured almost everything, and to the park where they can see a couple of musicians playing on the road.

Doyoung did say that he wanted to know more about what Taeyong did if he wasn’t flying time-traveling planes.

In return, Doyoung talked about his own passion - why he got into time traveling, how his older brother influenced him but what made him stay was the distinct feel of the atmosphere of that age - the food, the music, and the people.

“If I wasn’t a time travel researcher I think I could’ve been a singer.” Doyoung joked.

“You’re that good?” Taeyong asked.

“You don’t believe me?”

“I’ll believe it when I hear it,” Taeyong said.

“Maybe you will,” Doyoung replied. “But I’m afraid I can’t really let my own prowess show that much or I’ll be scouted.”

Taeyong laughed at Doyoung’s confidence and it made him feel proud that he could do that.

“I guess we’ll have to make a fitting environment for you to let your talent show?” Taeyong spoke. “Next time?”

“It’s a promise” Doyoung linked their pinkies to seal the deal. 

And even as they went separate ways, Doyoung couldn’t stop smiling at the warm feeling that tingled through his body with that one brief contact.

 

~

 

The opportunity didn’t come until Taeyong accompanied Doyoung to 1920s.

Jaehyun asked if Taeyong’s hair color is permanent once they were introduced with Jaehyun mouthing behind Taeyong if the guy is the pilot.

He only said yes when they were about to go on stage with another singer, Taeil.

They always sang love songs that people could dance too or at least something that they could happily bounce to the rhythm.

Today, however, Doyoung requested that they sing a ballad, something that they could put their emotions.

Particularly, his emotion toward one Lee Taeyong.

And so they sang, a song of attraction to uncertainty, to an unbelievable joy of having someone you like near. A harmony of voices that used their own techniques to convert that emotion and it’s only now that Doyoung could believe every single word he sang.

He was afraid to look at where Taeyong was seated. He wasn’t afraid of letting Taeyong know his intentions. after eleven dates, Doyoung would proudly announce to the world how much he liked Taeyong.

It’s Taeyong’s emotions he’s worried about.

For all the teasing and the playful jibes, the laughter and stories they shared, he just wasn’t sure if Taeyong was accompanying him because of friendship or something more.

He hoped he could’ve told what he wanted to say through his song.

“That was amazing,” Taeyong said when he finally reached him and let Taeil and Jaehyun have their own duet.

“Thanks. What did I say? Scout-worthy?”

“Definitely.” Taeyong agreed a bit teary-eyed. “But aside from your heavenly voice, I think it’s your emotions that got me.”

“Are you crying?”

“Maybe a bit. You did this.” Taeyong accused playfully before wiping at his own tear ducts. “I could tell that you have loved before.”

“I haven’t,” Doyoung replied truthfully. “But I think I am experiencing it now so I definitely have a muse.”

“Do I know that person?” Taeyong asked.

Before he could reply, however, he was interrupted by Jaehyun telling him to get ready for his and Taeil’s duet.

“I’ll tell you later.”

 

~

 

“Here.” Taeyong gave a lunch box to him while they occupied a table in the lounge.

Doyoung carefully opened the said box and was treated to an array of mouthwatering dishes distributed in three layers of the lunch box.

“I know that the food accompanying the business class flight was far more superior than this, but you told me when we went out that you miss eating homemade food so—”

“Taeyong-hyung, did you make this?”

He nods rather bashful, clutching his knees unconsciously. Doyoung couldn't think of any word less than adorable to describe him.

“I haven't had a proper homemade lunch box in forever!” Doyoung exclaimed, not containing his glee.

“When was the last one?” He asked.

“When I was in junior high?” Doyoung replied, and he chuckled, the tension in his shoulders visibly relaxing.

“Can I try them?”

When he said yes, he immediately popped a kimbap in his mouth.

“This is probably the most delicious kimbap I ever had.” He said and Taeyong sighed in relief.

“What about your mother's?”

“If you put it that way, it's probably second to my mom's.” He jokingly replied which earned him a light smack on his arm.

Just when he was about to try another, Johnny suddenly came to his table.

“Doyoung-ah, I made it!” He exclaimed and then noticed Taeyong with a confused look.

“You must be the pilot that he's talking about! I'm Seo Youngho. I've heard all the good things about you.”

“Lee Taeyong.” He replied.

“Johnny,” Doyoung spoke with a warning, hoping that Johnny would get the hint and not ruin whatever good impression was left of him.

“Right! I'd get some coffee for myself so I'll leave you two.”

“No!” Taeyong replied. “Please, I wouldn't want to be in between you two.” He gestured to him and Johnny and Doyoung had a feeling that he must be misunderstanding something.

“Taeyong-hyung, Johnny is my—”

And then Taeyong’s phone rang.

“I must go now.” He said. “It was nice meeting you, Johnny.”

“Wait!” Doyoung shouted.

He didn't.

 

-

 

The following trips to the airport resulted with either Doyoung being avoided or not seeing Taeyong at all.

Doyoung came to a reasonable conclusion that Taeyong might have thought that he’s dating Johnny.

One day, he got lucky to see a black-haired Taeyong on his coffee break - or so he thought.

“Taeyong-hyung, can we talk?” Doyoung asked desperately.

“If I said we can’t, will you leave me alone?” Taeyong said as he played with his coffee cup.

“Taeyong-“

“Look, Kim-sshi. You’re a very handsome man and I’m sure you’re aware of it. You’ve got tons of money if you can time travel all you want and even get paid for it. But that doesn’t mean that you can make a fool out of people by lavishing them with gifts, taking them out on dates, singing and making them think you’re interested in them, especially if you’re already dating someone else.” Taeyong said in one breath.

“Especially when you don’t even have feelings for them,” Taeyong said like he’s defeated. “I know who your muse is so you don’t have to tell me who it is. Have a nice life, Kim-sshi. I hope to never see you again.” Taeyong then passed through Doyoung but not without handing his coffee cup to Doyoung.

Devastated and angry that Doyoung didn’t even get to speak his mind, he sipped on the coffee that Taeyong gave him, expecting a sugar rush to mask his misery.

The flavor surprised him, and he immediately opened the lid.

It was stark black, bitter without a hint of sugar.

It’s his usual cup.

 

~

 

The cup of coffee that Doyoung received gave him hope that he could still somewhat save whatever he had with Taeyong.

This meant that he had no other choice than to beg for Jaehyun's help if he didn’t want to make a scene at the time-traveling terminal and beg for Taeyong to listen to him.

“Please, you've got to come with me and pretend that you're together with Johnny so that he would talk to me again!”

“You know that I have never time traveled and never wanted to, right? Why do I have to do something like that if you could ask Johnny here to let him talk to your pilot on your behalf?”

“I'm being avoided as well,” Johnny said from behind.

Doyoung nodded to affirm.

Jaehyun sighed and then faced Johnny as he spoke, “are you sure you're okay with this?”

“I feel responsible too, they would’ve been together if I took the next plane or didn’t interrupt their conversation,” Johnny answered.

Jaehyun finally agreed to the proposal. Doyoung jumped for joy in return.

“You won't regret this,” Doyoung promised.

“I'm starting to doubt that now.”

When Jaehyun glanced at Johnny without him noticing, Doyoung knew that he was right.

 

~

 

Doyoung had this whole scenario planned out: Jaehyun and Johnny would go hand in hand and purposely go near the place where he usually saw Taeyong disappear whenever Doyoung was being avoided. They’d flirt in public, call each other some terms of endearment, and when Taeyong showed himself, Doyoung would purposely greet the “couple” and praise how adorable they are.

This, however, was not expected.

He didn’t expect Jaehyun to be this horrible at acting, his nervousness, not an excuse at his exaggerations as he uttered the words “baby” and “honey” and making even Johnny retract for a bit before he remembered that he was on a mission too.

It was both hilarious and embarrassing – and to think he was the one who made the script!

He was about to call it off, regroup, and think of another strategy when he spied in the corner of his eye the guy who kept him up all night (and the sole reason why he even created a script) slowly approaching him.

“They’re not really a couple, are they?” He pointed to the two who were still acting.

“No,” Doyoung admitted the obvious. “I kind of made them do this. Now I would need to face Jaehyun’s wrath later about dragging and embarrassing him here.”

He said, “They’re cute together.” He’s now sporting a pink hair which makes him look softer than usual.

He missed Taeyong.

“Is that the reason why you made them do something like this?”

“Not entirely.” He answered truthfully. “I asked for their help to clear out some misunderstanding that Johnny and I are not in a relationship.”

“I just figured that out, even if their act was a little overbearing,” Taeyong said.

“Don’t you want to know why I begged them to put on a show for me?” Doyoung asked, suddenly feeling brave at that moment.

He kept quiet for all of three seconds before Taeyong answered: “I’m guessing it’s the same reason why I avoided you when I thought you were in a relationship.”

“You like me?” Doyoung asked, his nerves bumbling in anticipation.

“I guess you like me too.” Taeyong blushed as he replied.

Doyoung smiled then, “do you think we could start over again and stop them?” Doyoung pointed at Jaehyun and Johnny who were now too close to each other (which was not on the script.)

“Let’s grab some coffee first,” Taeyong said.

 

~

 

“Here you go.” Taeyong offered him a steaming cup.

“I’d rather not,” Doyoung replied. “It would just make me jittery.”

“But this is skimmed milk so you’ll be fine.” a honey blonde-haired Taeyong replied. “You’ve submitted and presented thousands of research ideas. You’d definitely nail this one again.” Taeyong smiled sipping on his own straw - a vanilla frappuccino from the looks of it.

“What would I do without you?” Reaching for both their cups so he could safely get to Taeyong without spilling anything.

“Let’s never find out.” Taeyong met him halfway and kissed him.

And not for the first time, did he not think of his fear of heights.

He thought of the things he would do when he came back to Taeyong instead.


End file.
